Slimfold director chair with reclining backrest

ABSTRACT

A director&#39;s chair includes cross members of generally rectilinear U-shapes, frame side assemblies pivotally attached to the cross members, and back support members pivotally connected by recline pivot brackets to the respective frame side assemblies for movement between an upright position and a plurality of pre-defined recline positions. A cross bar of one cross member is substantially longer than a cross bar of the other cross member. The cross members are centrally pivotally attached for folding from a generally X-shaped set up condition to a generally flat and mutually nested collapsed condition. In the set up condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are transversely spaced apart. In the collapsed condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are adjacent and nested within the cross members. Recline adjust brackets are affixed to the frame side assemblies, and elbow pads are hingedly connected with the back support members.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional, and claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/104,377 filed Jan. 16, 2015, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to folding chairs, and more particularly relates to improvements in director's chairs that are foldable and unfoldable between a set-up condition for use and a substantially collapsed condition for transportation and/or storage.

2. Discussion of Art

Popularity of the mini van, the sport utility vehicle and the recreational vehicle has resulted in increased demand for improved collapsible furniture and particularly collapsible portable furniture of the outdoor type which may be readily stowed in a vehicle and conveniently manually transported to a picnic area or the site of a spectator event, such as, for example, an outdoor concert, a sporting event, a golf tournament, or an air show, where the general rule is to bring your own seating accommodations.

Considerable attention has been directed to the provision of improved collapsible furniture for the picnicker, sportsman, hunter, fisherman, hiker, biker and the like. However, the resulting furniture designs and particularly the designs for chairs and seats have usually incorporated some reduction in size, as compared to the full-sized article, with a corresponding reduction in the level of seating comfort. The wooden beach chairs and lawn furniture of an earlier era has generally been replaced by light-weight tubular metal furniture of a more modern design. However, little has been done to optimize the collapsibility and portability of the full-sized article, which is a goal of the present invention.

One foldable chair design available on the market is known as a director's chair. A director's chair generally comprises a chair frame that folds side-to-side with a scissors action. A conventional director's chair design 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in its set-up condition and in FIG. 2 in its collapsed condition. Generally, such a chair comprises transversely spaced apart left and right side frame assemblies 12 of mirrored design interconnected by cross-members 14 that can be folded together to collapse the chair to a generally flat condition. The seat 16 and back 18 of the chair are made of canvas or a similar strong fabric which bears the user's full weight and can be collapsed with the frame. Generally, the seat 16 and scissored cross-members 14 work together to support and distribute the sitter's weight in a set-up chair so that the seat is comfortably taut.

Such prior art chairs provide the convenience of easy fold-up, and are lightweight so as to permit easy transportability. Common uses for such chairs are at the beach or at a picnic where easy set-up and break-down, as well as the ability to carry the chair along with other things, is desirable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a collapsible and portable director's chair design especially suitable for use as a beach chair, a lawn chair, and the like, which can be folded from the set-up condition to a flat collapsed condition for transportation and/or storage, and which has a reclining back rest.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a collapsible and portable director's chair includes left and right frame side assemblies collectively defining forward and rear leg portions and armrests. The chair also includes cross-members connecting the left and right frame side assemblies and collectively defining a seat support. The cross members are pivotally connected to one another as well as to the left and right frame side assemblies to facilitate side-by-side folding of the chair frame to a collapsed condition. In a preferred design, the cross-members each comprise front and rear portions that are pivotally connected about respective central pivot points to generally assume the shape of an X when the chair is in the set-up condition and that are disposed in generally parallel relationship when the chair is folded. The chair further includes a seat panel supported by the seat support and a backrest panel supported by the back support for collectively accommodating a user seated in the chair.

In accordance with the present invention, the cross members are pivotally connected to the frame side assemblies outwardly from the front and rear surfaces of said assemblies so as to define folding clearances which facilitate folding of the chair frame to a flat collapsed condition. When so folded, the cross members are collapsed from a generally X shape associated with the set-up condition of the chair frame towards one another to a generally parallel relationship to one another. As the cross members are collapsed together, in side-by-side fashion, the side frame assemblies are brought together—maintaining a parallel relationship to one another until they are adjacent and brought within the planar footprint or envelope of the collapsed cross-members. In particular embodiments of the invention, a first of the cross members is made wider from front to back than is the other or second of the cross members. Accordingly, when the cross members are folded, the second cross member is able to nest within the first cross member, while the side frame assemblies in turn are able to nest within the second cross-member.

Embodiments of the director's chair, according to the present invention, include a reclining back support defined by two back support members that are pivotally mounted into brackets disposed at upper rear corners of the frame side assemblies. The back support members also are movably attached to the armrest portions of their respective frame side assemblies, via sliding elbow pads. Each back support member includes a lower segment that is fixedly pivotably mounted into its respective bracket, and an upper segment that is removable from the lower segment during folding of the chair frame, in order to make the collapsed bundle smaller. Alternatively, the upper segments of the back support members can be adapted to fold forward in line with the armrests of the chair so as to reduce the size of the folded chair frame.

As a result, the chair of the present invention can be folded to a substantially flat collapsed condition that takes up less space for storage and transportation than for the prior art director's chair design as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, which is restricted during folding such that the frame side assemblies remain transversely outside of the collapsed cross-members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show set up and folded conditions of a prior art director's chair.

FIG. 3 shows in perspective view a set up condition of a director's chair with a reclining back according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows in perspective view only the frame of the director's chair of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5-8 show various views of the director's chair of FIG. 3, in set up and reclined conditions.

FIG. 9 shows in perspective view an offset link of the director's chair shown in FIGS. 3-8.

FIG. 10 shows in perspective view a partially disassembled frame side assembly of the director's chair shown in FIGS. 3-7.

FIG. 11 shows a partly folded condition of the frame of the director's chair of FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 shows a packaged arrangement of a plurality of the director's chair of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 3-8, a director's chair 100 according to the invention includes a folding frame 102 on which a flexible seat panel 104 and back panel 106 are attached. The folding frame is composed of left and right frame side assemblies 108, 110, which are pivotally connected with each other via first and second cross members 112, 114 that are pivotally attached at outwardly facing forward and rearward surfaces of the frame side assemblies. The left or right frame side assemblies are substantially identical, and each includes a foot 116 portion, a front leg portion 118, an armrest portion 120, and a rear leg portion 122. Meanwhile, each of the first and second cross members 112 or 114 includes a cross bar 124 or 126 that extends between and connects front and rear portions thereof, which respectively extend from the cross bar to forward and rearward terminal ends of the cross member. More particularly, the first cross member 112 has front and rear portions 128, 130 with respective terminal ends 129, 131 whereas the second cross member 114 has front and rear portions 132, 134 with respective terminal ends 133, 135.

The first and second cross members 112, 114 are generally centrally pivotally attached to each other, e.g., front portions 128, 132 of the first and second cross members are pivotally attached at a front pivot 136 whereas rear portions 130, 134 of the first and second cross members are pivotally attached at a rear pivot 138. Thus, the cross members are movable between a set up condition in which they form an X shape, and a collapsed condition in which they are nested within each other as further explained below.

When moving the chair frame from its set up condition to its collapsed condition in which the chair frame can be stacked with similar chair frames, e.g., for shipping or storage or for shelf display, the cross bars 124, 126 are pivoted toward each other until the first cross member 112 generally nests within the second cross member 114. Several adaptations of the first and second cross members accommodate the nesting arrangement of the cross members in their collapsed condition.

Firstly, the nesting arrangement of the cross members can be achieved because the cross bar 126 of the second cross member 114 is substantially longer than is the cross bar 124 of the first cross member 112, so that the front portion 132 of the second cross member is attached at the outwardly forward surface of the front portion 128 of the first cross member, while the rear portion 134 of the second cross member is attached at the outwardly rearward surface of the rear portion 130 of the first cross member.

Secondly, in order that the substantially longer second cross member 114 and the substantially shorter first cross member 112 both can be pivotally attached to the substantially identical left and right frame side assemblies 108, 110, the front and rear terminal ends 133, 135 of the second cross member are bent inwardly to contact the right frame side assembly 110, and the second cross member is pivotally attached to the left frame side assembly 108 via offset links 140. By contrast, the first cross member 112 is attached to the right frame side assembly 110 via generally flat links 142 and is attached to the left frame side assembly 108 by generally straight terminal ends 129, 131.

In greater detail, the front portion 128 of the first cross member 112 is pivotally attached to the front leg portion 118 of the right frame side assembly 110 by the generally flat link 142 that extends from a pivot 144 near the first cross member cross bar 124 to near the right frame side assembly armrest portion 120. The rear portion 130 of the first cross member 112 is pivotally attached to the rear leg portion 122 of the right frame side assembly 110 by another generally flat link 142 that extends from a pivot 146 near the first cross member cross bar 124 to near the right frame side assembly armrest portion 120. By contrast, the front portion 132 of the second cross member 114 is pivotally attached to the front leg portion 118 of the left frame side assembly 108 by the offset link 140 (shown in detail in FIG. 9) that extends from a pivot 148 near the second cross member cross bar 126 to near the left frame side assembly armrest portion 120. The rear portion 134 of the second cross member 114 is pivotally attached to the rear leg portion 122 of the left frame side assembly 108 by another offset link 140 that extends from a pivot 150 near the second cross member cross bar 126 to near the left frame side assembly armrest portion 120. The offset links 140 form channels for receiving the front and rear portions 128, 130 of the first cross member 112 in the collapsed condition of the cross members 112, 114. More particularly, in order to form the channels for accommodating the first cross member 112, each of the offset links 140 has a first wing 154 that is attached to the respective frame side assembly, a second wing 156 that is attached to an inward surface of the second cross member 114, and a back 158 connecting the first and second wings to define the channel 160 that opens toward the first cross member.

The first cross member 112 is pivotally attached at its forward terminal end 129 to an outwardly facing forward surface of the front leg portion 118 of the left frame side assembly 108, and at its rearward terminal end 131 to an outwardly facing rearward surface of a rear leg portion 122 of the left frame side assembly 108. Similarly, the second cross member 114 is pivotally attached at its forward terminal end 133 to an outwardly facing forward surface of a front leg portion 118 of the right frame side assembly 110, and at its rearward terminal end 135 to an outwardly facing rearward surface of a rear leg portion 122 of the right frame side assembly 110.

Thus, in a set up condition of the director's chair, the cross bar 124 of the first cross member 112 rests against or generally adjacent to the right frame side assembly 110 whereas the cross bar 126 of the second cross member 114 rests against or generally adjacent to the left frame side assembly 108, so that the cross members form a X shape. In certain embodiments the cross bars 124, 126 may frictionally lock against the frame side assemblies 108, 110. In the set up condition of the chair frame 102, the cross bars 124, 126 support the seat panel 104 in a generally taut condition stretched between them, and the cross members 112, 114 space the frame side assemblies 108, 110 transversely apart and generally parallel each other.

Also, in the set up condition of the chair frame the back panel 106 is stretched generally taut between back support members 170, which are pivotally mounted to the frame side assemblies 108, 110 in recline pivot brackets 172 (one is shown in FIG. 10) that are disposed at upper rear corners of the frame side assemblies. Each of the back support members 170 is pivotally attached to one of a pair of first and second elbow pads 174, which are slidably movable along respective armrest portions 120 of the frame side assemblies. Each elbow pad 174 is captured by a pin 176 into a respective recline adjust bracket 178 (one is shown in FIG. 11), each of which is attached at a lower (inner surface) of a respective armrest portion 120 as shown in FIG. 8. Each recline adjust bracket 178 defines a plurality of notches 180 that correspond to a plurality of reclined positions of the back support members 170 within the recline pivot brackets 172. By lifting each elbow pad 174 to release its pin 176 from a notch 180 of its recline adjust bracket 178, it is possible to move the elbow pads together in order to adjust the back support members 170 to one of the plurality of their reclined positions. Thus, the elbow pads 174 and the armrests 120 have ratchet and pawl connections for adjustment of the back support members 170. Notably, in order to prevent the chair 100 overturning backward under the weight of a reclining user, the foot portions 116 of the frame side assemblies extend rearward of the rear leg portions 118, at least as far as the midpoints of the back support members 170 in their fully reclined positions. In certain embodiments, the foot portion 116 of each frame side assembly protrudes rearward of the corresponding rear leg portion 122 to an extent beyond a mid-point of the corresponding back support member 170 in its furthest reclined position. Thus, the foot portions 116 extend at least far enough rearward to be under the chest of a reclining user, i.e., to keep the user's center of gravity within the footprint of the chair 100.

Further, in the set up condition of the chair 100 at least one side tray 190 is provided. The side tray 190 is pivotally supported from one of the frame side assemblies 108 or 110 by top links 192 and by overcenter links 194. The side tray 190 includes a cup holder 196.

Yet further, at the rear portion 130 of the cross member 114, a handle 200 is provided for carrying the chair 100 in its collapsed condition.

In the collapsed condition of the chair frame, the left and right frame side assemblies 108, 110 and the back support members 170 nest in substantially parallel and adjacent fashion within the first cross member 112. The nested arrangement of the collapsed chair 100 is made possible by providing the back support members with lower segments 182 (which respectively are pivotally mounted within the recline pivot brackets 172) and with upper segments 184 (which are releasably attached onto the lower segments, e.g. by ball detents, or which are hingedly attached to the lower segments). When folding the chair frame 102 to its collapsed condition, the upper segments 184 of the back support members 170 are removed from the lower segments 182 and/or folded toward the armrest portions 120 of the frame side assemblies 108, 110.

In case the back support members 170 are separated when folding the chair frame (i.e., the upper segments 182 are removed from the lower segments 184), then the back panel 106 continues to connect the upper segments of the back support members to the remainder of the chair frame in a flexible manner. Thus, the upper segments 182 of the back support members 170 also can be nested within a generally flat and rectilinear envelope defined by the cross members 112, 114. Alternatively, in case the back support members 170 are folded when folding the chair frame (i.e., the upper segments 182 are folded forward toward the armrest portions 120 of the side frames, at their hinged connections to the lower segments 184), then the back support members still can be nested within the generally flat and rectilinear envelope defined by the cross members 112, 114.

Thus, embodiments of the invention combine some or all of the following features: first and second cross members that can be folded from a generally X shaped set up condition to a generally flat and nested collapsed condition; frame side assemblies that in the set up condition are spaced transversely apart and generally parallel each other by the cross members, and in the collapsed condition are closely adjacent and generally parallel each other within an envelope defined by the cross members; and back support members that in the set up condition are movable among a plurality of pre-defined recline positions and an upright position, relative to the frame side assemblies. Particular embodiments include offset links that connect one of the cross members to one of the frame side assemblies, and that include channels for receiving the other of the cross members in the collapsed condition. In certain embodiments, the back support members may include detachable segments, or may include hinged connections, so as to permit nesting the back support members within the same envelope defined by the cross members in the collapsed condition.

As an advantageous result of the invention, multiple reclining director's chairs can be closely stacked together and fit into a shipping box with top 210 and bottom 220, as shown in FIG. 12. Generally, more of the inventive chairs can be fit into a box of the same size as would accommodate less of the known conventional chairs.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to attached drawings, those skilled in the art will apprehend various changes in form and detail consistent with the scope of the invention as claimed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A director's chair comprising: a first cross member that has front and rear leg portions joined by a cross bar in a generally rectilinear U-shape; a second cross member that has front and rear leg portions joined by a cross bar in a generally rectilinear U-shape, wherein the cross bar of the second cross member is substantially longer than the cross bar of the first cross member, wherein the second cross member is generally centrally pivotally attached to the first cross member for folding from a generally X-shaped set up condition to a generally flat and mutually nested collapsed condition; first and second substantially parallel frame side assemblies that are pivotally attached to the cross members, wherein in the set up condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are generally parallel and transversely spaced apart, whereas in the collapsed condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are generally parallel and adjacent and nested within an envelope defined by the cross members; and first and second back support members that are pivotally connected with the respective first and second frame side assemblies for movement between an upright position and a plurality of pre-defined recline positions relative to the frame side assemblies.
 2. The director's chair of claim 1, further comprising: first links that pivotally connect the first cross member with a first of the frame side assemblies; and second links that pivotally connect the second cross member with a second of the frame side assemblies, wherein the second links are offset links that include channels for receiving the first cross member.
 3. The director's chair of claim 1, wherein the back support members are pivotally connected with the frame side assemblies by respective recline pivot brackets.
 4. The director's chair of claim 1 wherein the back support members include lower segments that are pivotally connected to the frame side assemblies and include upper segments that are detachable from the lower segments, wherein detachment of the upper segments provides for the lower segments to nest within the cross members in the collapsed condition of the cross members.
 5. The director's chair of claim 4, further comprising a flaccid web attached between the back support members to define a back panel of said chair, wherein the flaccid web remains attached to the upper segments and the lower segments of the back support members even when the upper segments are detached from the lower segments.
 6. The director's chair of claim 1, wherein the back support members include lower segments that are pivotally connected to the frame side assemblies and include upper segments that are hinged to the lower segments for folding toward the elbow pads.
 7. The director's chair of claim 1, wherein forward and rearward terminal ends of the second cross member are bent inwardly toward each other to contact outwardly facing forward and rearward surfaces of the second frame side assembly.
 8. The director's chair of claim 1, further comprising: recline pivot brackets that pivotally connect the back support members with the frame side assemblies; recline adjust brackets that are affixed to the frame side assemblies; and elbow pads that are hingedly connected with the back support members, wherein the elbow pads incorporate pins for engaging the recline adjust brackets in ratchet and pawl connections to the frame side assemblies for defining the upright position and the plurality of recline positions of the back support members.
 9. The director's chair of claim 1, wherein each of the frame side assemblies includes a foot portion, a front leg portion, an armrest portion, and a rear leg portion together forming a closed shape.
 10. The director's chair of claim 8, wherein the foot portion of each frame side assembly protrudes rearward of the corresponding rear leg portion at least as far as a mid-point of the corresponding back support member in its furthest reclined position.
 11. The director's chair of claim 8, wherein the foot portion of each frame side assembly protrudes rearward of the corresponding rear leg portion to an extent beyond the mid-point of the corresponding back support member in its furthest reclined position.
 12. A director's chair comprising: a first cross member that has front and rear leg portions joined by a cross bar in a generally rectilinear U-shape; a second cross member that has front and rear leg portions joined by a cross bar in a generally rectilinear U-shape, wherein the cross bar of the second cross member is substantially longer than the cross bar of the first cross member, wherein the second cross member is generally centrally pivotally attached to the first cross member for folding from a generally X-shaped set up condition to a generally flat and mutually nested collapsed condition; first and second substantially parallel frame side assemblies that are pivotally attached to the cross members, wherein in the set up condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are generally parallel and transversely spaced apart, whereas in the collapsed condition of the cross members the frame side assemblies are generally parallel and adjacent and nested within an envelope defined by the cross members; first and second back support members that are pivotally connected with the respective first and second frame side assemblies for movement between an upright position and a plurality of pre-defined recline positions relative to the frame side assemblies; recline pivot brackets that pivotally connect the back support members with the frame side assemblies; recline adjust brackets that are affixed to the frame side assemblies; and elbow pads that are hingedly connected with the back support members, wherein the elbow pads incorporate pins for engaging the recline adjust brackets in ratchet and pawl connections to the frame side assemblies for defining the upright position and the plurality of recline positions of the back support members.
 13. The director's chair of claim 12, wherein each of the frame side assemblies includes a foot portion, a front leg portion, an armrest portion, and a rear leg portion together forming a closed shape.
 14. The director's chair of claim 13, wherein the foot portion of each frame side assembly protrudes rearward of the corresponding rear leg portion at least as far as a mid-point of the corresponding back support member in its furthest reclined position.
 15. The director's chair of claim 13, wherein the foot portion of each frame side assembly protrudes rearward of the corresponding rear leg portion to an extent beyond the mid-point of the corresponding back support member in its furthest reclined position.
 16. The director's chair of claim 12 wherein the back support members include lower segments that are pivotally connected to the frame side assemblies and include upper segments that are detachable from the lower segments, wherein detachment of the upper segments provides for the lower segments to nest within the cross members in the collapsed condition of the cross members.
 17. The director's chair of claim 16, further comprising a flaccid web attached between the back support members to define a back panel of said chair, wherein the flaccid web remains attached to the upper segments and the lower segments of the back support members even when the upper segments are detached from the lower segments.
 18. The director's chair of claim 12, wherein the back support members include lower segments that are pivotally connected to the frame side assemblies and include upper segments that are hinged to the lower segments for folding toward the elbow pads.
 19. The director's chair of claim 12, wherein forward and rearward terminal ends of the second cross member are bent inwardly toward each other to contact outwardly facing forward and rearward surfaces of the second frame side assembly.
 20. The director's chair of claim 12, further comprising: first links that pivotally connect the first cross member with a first of the frame side assemblies; and second links that pivotally connect the second cross member with a second of the frame side assemblies, wherein the second links are offset links that include channels for receiving the first cross member. 